Professional Boxing's Palookas Tomato Can and Opponents.

By Pat Dwyer

This book explores and unusual aspect of professional boxing. It is called losing in boxing. It is an integral part of the sport. If you like boxing or want to learn a little about it this is a good book to review.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HISTORY
• Release date: May 15, 2024
• ISBN: 9798869359513

Pat Dwyer

The author, Pat Dwyer is a free-lance writer and photographer. His homepage is www.patdwyer.weebly.com

Book preview

Professional Boxing’s Palookas, Tomato 

Cans and Opponents.  An Inside look.

By Pat Dwyer

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(Picture provided by Freeimages.com)

(*Jean Scheijen)

                          Introduction.

    Certain professional boxers are commonly referred to as

palookas, tomato cans and opponents.  They are the

boxers who appear as no names on the records of quality

fighters.  Their careers, which can stretch for years seem to

be an endless array of knockout and decision losses.  Why

do these fighters even box?  Do they ever have winning

streaks that allow them to advance career wise?  Who are

they and what is they’re true status and defined roles in

professional boxing.

    As athletes these professional fighters are a unique

commodity to the sporting world.  They also are an integral

part of professional boxing and always have been.  They

offer fight fans bouts to see and potential prospects an

avenue to build their records with the hope of advancing

into bigger money bouts.  These palookas, tomato cans or

opponents are often fighters whose career went south due

to a lack of proper training, management, size or skill and

they decided to continue boxing where there is market for

fighters lose.  It is a means for employment.  The money

they make is marginal, most only make  $200 to $400 a

bout.  A paycheck higher than $1,000 is rare.  Often these

fighters fight on short notice and have to travel to towns or

cities and square off against a local prospect.  They do not

have their own corner men and they usually are fighting in

someone else’s